Return to the Land

“Return to the land, love the land!”

This voice full of longing—from where does it come?

From the other side of the faraway sky? 

From the ends of this unbroken continent? 

Or perhaps it is the disillusioned voice that wells up 

From the depths of the human heart 

The empty civilized life

Of the vain city  

Having broken them down

The intellectuals all at once

Heard the new words:

“Return to the land, love the land!” 

So they set off in the early morning

For a new continent, shouldering their hoes—

Beneath a hot white sun

I kneeled down on the great earth

And gripped a handful of dirt

How long it has been—!

Forgotten and neglected—

Oh you! Mother earth

Having birthed us, raised us,

You are our eternal home

You, Mother earth! 

My entire body overflows

With feelings of regret

As I think of the original people of long ago

“Face the truth, live in the truth”

Civilized life in the late 20th century

Will have to begin from the earth 

Will have to rebuild itself up from the earth itself